A Warriors Mind
by DemonicIce
Summary: Luffy is determined to grow up strong after Shanks loses his arm.
1. Purpose

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or it's characters

Chapter 1

"You should apoligize to Shanks" a small Luffy shouts at the mountain bandits, punching their legs. The bandits laugh and kick him across the docks. The Bandit Leader uses him as a human punching bag, cutting and kicking the boy untill he yelps and yells in pain. Hearing the commotion Makino reconigzes the yelps of pain as Luffy's. "That's Luffy" she shouts in concern, rushing out of the door. She is fallowed closely by Shanks and his crew.

At the docks they find a beaten Luff, still screaming at the bandits as he hangs in the air by the back of his shirt. Upon the arrivall of Shanks the Bandit Leader draws his gun as his lackeys fail to hold off the Red Hair Pirates and pressed it to Luffy's temple, threatening to blow his brains out. Seeing as they were not backing down the Bandit Leader panics throwing down a smoke bomb to flee. As the smoke clears they notice the dissiperance of the Bandit Leader, Luffy, and Shanks.

On the ocean a giant Seaking appears, prepared to eat man and ship whole, at the same time Luffy is booted from the boat. The Seaking eats the boat and bandit, preparing to eat a drowning Luffy. At the moment of attack Shanks pulls Luffy out of the way, sacrificing his left arm. With a crying Luffy nestled against his chest Shanks uses Conquer's Haki to scare the beast away.

Crying Luffy "I am sorry Shanks! Your arm! You lost your arm saving me!" On shore Luffy continues to cry as he watches Shanks's ship doctor bandage the stump were his arm used to be. 'I will grow stronger! Strong enough to defeat any enemy and protect my friends' Luffy vows to himself.

The next day as Shanks leaves down the stairs of the dock Luffy screams his vow, his promise, "I will be King of the Pirates! A pirate greater than you with even better nakama" Turning Shanks smiles as he plops his treasured straw hat onto Luffy's head, "Return this to me in good condition when you become a great pirate" he makes Luffy promise.

A few days later find Luffy being deposited at Dadan's in the middle of the forest. Looking around Luffy spots Ace and Sabo and walks over, insisting they befriends, only to receive a glare and a whack to the head. Over the course of several months, in his pursuit to befriend Ace and Sabo, Luffyis abandoned, left to die, and almost gets killed by Porchemy, when finally he finds acceptance and they take the pledge of brotherhood.

To grow stronger Luffy would spar with his brothers during the day, while at night after his brother had fallen asleep he would sneak out into the middle of the forest to train his Haki in private. Sitting cross legged Luffy meditated, looking deep within himself to find the power he knew was within himself. Feeing a sudden warmth Luffy tugs on it, to be greeted by the sensation of sharpened senses, just as a great leopard bursts from the brush.

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	2. Friend and Follower

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece.

 **Chapter 3**

Leaping up and to the side to dodge easily, Luffy once more tugs on that warmth from within, forcing out his Conqueror's, to turn the growling leopard into a quivering puddle of fur. Luffy examines the leopard, only to discover that it was only a half grown kitten. "Where is your mother" Luffy asks, not expecting an answer of "Dead." Scared the leopard covers its muzzle with both paws, quivering in fear as it asks "Please don't sell me!" "Sell you? Why would I sell you" Luffy laughs, crouching down by the leopard. "You're interesting let's be friends" he states to the shocked leopard. Lifting it's head it exclaims loudly "Really?" Nodding, Luffy laughs as the leopard leaps onto him, licking his face in joy.

"Now" Luffy says, serious once more, "What is your name?" "I am Ashiki, the last of the Shadow Leopard Bloodline" Ashiki states with pride. "Very well Ashiki, I am Monkey D. Luffy future King of the Pirates, and you are my first crew mate. Now let us get back to training" Luffy states as he sits down to meditate once more, his Observation Haki fixed firmly in place. This time Ashiki joins him, curling his body around Luffy's.

Over the course of several weeks Luffy and Ashiki would meet up late at night to train. These trainingg sessions left a notable impression on Luffy's personality, Ace and Sabo noticed a seriousness that cloaked Luffy as he became stronger over night. Deciding not to question it they continued to fight for their survival everyday, eating the forest creatures, and becoming even stronger with every new challenge thrown their way.

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	3. Training and Renewed Purpose

The day Sabo is ripped from their lives pushed Luffy into a deep grief and rage. For three days he raged through the forest tearing down trees, Ashiki stood by his side, occasionally sparring with him in hopes of calming him down. On the third day Luffy finally collapsed with his face in his hands, "I am still to weak" he cursed himself. Lifting his head to face Ashiki he made a promise "We will get stronger."

From that day on Luffy pushed himself even harder in his training, introducing Ace to Ashiki and letting him train with them. With the harder training and the help of Ace he mastered Arament Haki, expanded the limits his Observation Haki, sharpened his Conqueror's Haki, and taught Ace the first two forms of Haki. A year before Ace was due to leave on his 17th birthday Luffy secretly started to study navigation, weather, and the different islands in the Grandline and East Blue.

His plan was to leave two months after Ace did to find someone to train him in the art of swordsmanship. On Ace's birthday Luffy, Makino, and the mayor Woopslap gave Ace a teary goodbye as he pushed off from the dock in his boat out to sea, to fulfill his dream of becoming a pirate. Two months later found Luffy preparing a fast sailboat with enough for Ashiki and himself for the next two months and enough money to by more at future islands. As he pushed off from the secret cove on Dawn Island with Ashiki, Luffy realized they would have to keep themselves unnoticed to keep a bounty off their heads.

Luffy had been sailing for three days and was eating a relatively small lunch (for a D) when he felt a powerful presence.


End file.
